Friday, March 18, 2011

Samsung debuts glasses-free 3DTV prototype

We’ve seen a few similar prototypes from other manufacturers and now Samsung is joining the movement for glasses-free 3DTV.

At the FPD tradeshow in China, Samsung has unveiled a 55-inch 3DTV prototype that is able to display nine different viewpoints of 3D without any glasses requirement. Further, the set can be switched easily from 3D to 2D via an LCD panel layered on top of the main LCD. By changing the optical refraction index of that LCD panel, the TV will switch from 3D to 2D.

The prototype released was created with a direct-lit CCFL backlight, but Samsung suggested that the set will have LED by the time it is released.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this set or anything like it will be available for at least a few years. Still, it’s good to see developments in the glassless 3D movement, and it will be interesting to see if these types of TV’s eventually find their way into the marketplace.